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The Chief Executive Officer of Ygam said that it is vital for any new levy to focus more on education upstream and prevention of harms associated with gambling.
In a speech she gave at the Conservative Party Conference held in Manchester this week, Dr Jane Rigbye stressed that the new system must include preventative education. She urged that universal education be adequately funded on a long-term basis as a part of public health’s response to gambling harms.
Dr Rigbye stated, “We see too often that prevention education is overlooked in debates, or, in some cases, and this is more concerning, efforts to increase awareness about treatment availability are used to demonstrate an investment in prevention. Ygam argues it would be better to invest upstream so that fewer people require treatment services.
DCMS Minister Rt. Hon. Stuart Andrew MP. Matthew Hickey is the Chief Executive Officer of Gordon Moody. Graham England is the Chief Executive Officer of ARA. Sarah Forshaw works as Head of Service Development for Gordon Moody.
The panel agreed on the need for equal funding opportunities to prevent the loss of experienced, skilled, and knowledgeable workers in the third sector. In response, Dr Rigbye stated: “There seems to be a perception among some that organisations operating in the current system do not have independence from industry funders. This misguided narrative cannot influence the new processes and infrastructure. All organisations that are seeking funding must be evaluated on their quality, scalability and impact.
Dr Rigbye also said that the levy must be “smart”, based on risk. She said the new levy should recognise the difference between research, treatment and education programmes and services and the expertise and stakeholder network required to deliver each.
Dr Rigbye has also expressed concern about the instability that the current consultation process causes for charities working in this field. She stated that charities are finding out that the publication the white paper has reduced uncertainty. Many donors are reluctant to commit funding due to the lack of clarity surrounding the levy. During this time, it is possible that the services of organisations that rely on the existing system will be interrupted or discontinued.
Next week, Dr Rigbye is scheduled to participate in the next panel of the Gordon Moody series at the Labour Party Conference held in Liverpool.
